What Happened To Martin Lawrence? Why Fans Are Worried About The Bad Boys Actor
The first reactions to "Bad Boys: Ride or Die" have united critics and audiences in praising the next installment of the action franchise. However, the internet has also seemingly united in concern over Martin Lawrence's health, who returns to play Detective Marcus Burnett in the flick.
"Entertainment Tonight" posted a clip to Instagram from a "Bad Boys 4" promotional event where Will Smith seems to lead Lawrence up toward the front of a bus. Many of the comments express worry over the latter, such as this post from @bxmixedcutie: "Did Will just help Martin walk? The way it looks Martin seems off." Earlier this year, there were also concerns after Lawrence appeared at the 2024 Emmys and seemed to slur when speaking and have difficulty reading the teleprompter. A statement after the fact explained that this was due to technical issues with the prompter, but combined with what fans are seeing at the "Bad Boys 4" press circuit, it's raising some additional alarms.
As of right now, nothing has been officially stated concerning any potential health problems the actor may or may not have at this time. But it seems fans simply want what's best for the comedy legend and hope for the best, especially given his medical history.
Martin Lawrence went into a coma in the past and recently suffered a significant loss
Based on the "Bad Boys: Ride or Die" trailer, Martin Lawrence and co-star Will Smith had to go heavy on the action once again. However, this hasn't stopped fans from worrying after some recent public appearances, especially considering Lawrence's health history. In the '90s the actor's drug use and mental health struggles led to him making frequent headlines for all the wrong reasons. In 1999, Lawrence fell into a coma after apparent heat exhaustion from jogging while wearing many layers of clothing, awaking several days later.
There's also something to be said of one's mental health. Lawrence and Smith were interviewed by "Extra" in anticipation for "Bad Boys 4," and when asked who his "ride or die" friends are, Lawrence said, "My best friend, Larry White. My brother who just passed away, Sean Lampkin. All of those were my ride or dies. And those are my best friends that I've been baptized with and everything. We grew up together and all that." Lampkin passed away on March 8, 2023, but it's clearly still sat with Lawrence. Similarly to other videos, fans in the comments of that YouTube clip point out how Lawrence appears to speak more slowly.
We definitely don't want to add to unsubstantiated rumors or speculate about someone's health. For now, just know that "Bad Boys: Ride or Die" comes out in theaters on June 7 if you want to see Detectives Marcus Burnett and Mike Lowrey cracking jokes and kicking butt on the silver screen once again. In the meantime, be sure to check out the best action movie franchises to binge.